Adjustable eraser holder



June 16, 1942.

l. D. TEFFT ETAL ADJUSTABLE ERASER HOLDER Filed Jan 10, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 June 16, 1942. TEFFT ET ALVY ADJUSTABLE ERASER HOLDER 7 Filed Jan. 10, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS flarldwfi .5 fz/a727. Tefffi,

Patented June 16, 1942 ADJUSTABLE ERASER HOLDER Ivan D. Tcfit and Marlin S. Baker, Janesville, Wis., assignors to The Parker Pen Company, Janesville, Wis., a corporation of Wisconsin Application January it, 1941, Serial No. 373,914

8 Claims.

Our invention relates to adjustable eraser holders and is more particularly concerned with a device of this type that forms an integral part of a mechanical pencil.

One object of our invention is to provide an eraser holder that is capable of housing a considerable length of eraser and which incorporates a propelling mechanism whereby any desired portion of the eraser may be quickly and easily projected for use.

A further object is to devise a holder that is characterized by an expelling and a retracting action of the eraser.

A further object is to provide a holder of the character indicated which may be conveniently mounted on the end of a mechanical pencil as a smooth and attractive continuation of the body of the pencil and which is durable, compact, and simply and inexpensively constructed.

These and further objects of our invention will be set forth in the following specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and the novel means by which said objects are effectuated will be definitely pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is an elevation of a characteristic mechanical pencil showing our improved holder attached thereto.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged view'of the pencil shown in Fig. 1, with the eraser holder and the propelling mechanism illustrated in section.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view showing in dispersed assembly the several parts of the holder.

Fig. 4 is a section of a modified type of holder which is characterized by an ejecting and a retraoting action.

Fig. 5 is a section on the line 55 in Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view showing as a dispersed assembly certain essential parts of the holder.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 3, inclusive, the numeral 10 designates a mechanical pencil, or generally a pencil of any type, which is provided with the usual pocket-engaging clip H and with our improved eraser holder generally indicated by the numeral 12.

In the form illustrated, the pencil Iii is provided with the usual barrel 13 having a liner l4 within which is fixedly mounted at the upper end of the pencil as viewed in Fig. 2 an internally threadedbushing I5. A nut sleeve i6 is screwed tightly into the bushing l5 and this sleeve acts as a fixed nut for certain propelling mechanism presently described and also as the medium for connecting the eraser holder to the body of the pencil Iii. For the latter purpose, the upper end of the sleeve [6 is provided with an annular shoulder I! which clamps a washer IS, the inwardly flanged, lower end of a liner l9 that is mounted within a tubular housing 20, and the eye portion 2! of the clip II against the upper ends of the barrel l3 and bushing l5.

Threaded through 'the nut sleeve I6 is a propelling stem 22 having at its upper end a cylindrical head 23 whose lateral surface is serrated or toothed as at 24. These teeth are in driven engagement with one or more longitudinal ribs 25 provided in an actuating sleeve 26 that is journaled in the liner l9 and whose upper end is enlarged to provide a finger piece 2?. Endwise movement of the sleeve 26 during rotation is prevented by inwardly fianging the lower end thereof as at 28 for engagement with an annular shoulder 29 that is concentric with the shoulder II, it being understood that while the shoulder l'l firmly seats on the top surface of the washer l8, the shoulder 29 merely has sliding engagement with the top surface of the flange 28 so that the actuating sleeve 26 is not prevented from turning. The top surface of the propelling head 23 abuts the bottom of the usual eraser cup 30 that carries an eraser 3!.

In Fig. 2, the eraser 3! is shown in partially ejected position and further ejection can be effected by rotating the finger piece 21 in an unscrewing direction for a right-hand thread which, by reason of the engagement of the teeth 24 with the ribs 25 and the fact that the sleeve 26 is restrained axially, is followed by a turning movement of the propelling stem 22 and a movement of the head 23 in an upward or expelling direction.

When it is desired to completely house the eraser 3|, it is merely necessary to rotate the finger piece 2'. in the opposite direction and, when the head 23 engages the upper end of the nut sleeve IE, further downward movement of the head 23-is prevented and if sufficient turning effort is applied to the finger piece 21 the teeth 24 may slide over the ribs 25 and emit a slight clicking sound to indicate to the user that the innermost position of the head 23 has been reached. The user can then force the eraser 3| into the holder by pressing on the eraser with a finger.

The modification illustrated in Figs. 4 to 6, inclusive, differs from that heretofore described in two major particulars, first, in the use of a rivet sleeve 32, corresponding to the nut sleeve l6, whose upper portion only is internally threaded to receive a propelling and retracting stem 33, while the lower portion is internally smooth and its lower extremity is outwardly flanged as at 34 for engagement with the lower end of a bushing 35 to definitely prevent any inadvertent axial movement of the sleeve. With this construction, therefore, it is not contemplated that the sleeve 32 can be removed from time to time for purpose of repair.

The second distinction consists in providing on the top of the head 36, corresponding to the head 23, an annular shoulder 3'! that is spaced from the top of the head by a shank 38 having a smaller diameter. The top surface of the head 36 abuts in the usual manner the bottom of an eraser cup 39 which receives the lower end of the usual eraser 40, and the bottom wall of the cup 39 is provided with a key slot 4| having a large portion 42 that is offset from the axis of the stem 33 and a small portion 43 that is coaxial with the stem. When the parts occupy the several positions illustrated in Fig. 4, the shank 38 extends though the slot portion 43 so that the shoulder 3'! is disposed within the cup 39 below the lower end of the eraser 40. Accordingly, when the finger piece 44 is rotated in an unscrewing direction for a right-hand thread, the head 36 will eject the eraser 40 in the manner heretofore described, but when the finger piece 44 is rotated in the opposite direction, the shoulder 3'! engages the bottom wall of the cup 39 and retracts the eraser within the finger piece 44.

It will be understood that the stem 33 possesses sufficient length to expose the shoulder 31 above the upper end of the finger piece 44 while still maintaining threaded engagement with the sleeve 32. This arrangement is necessary in order to attach new erasers. The procedure in such a case is merely to register the large slot portion 42 with the shoulder 31 and, after the latter has passed within the cup 39, the latter is moved laterally to cause the shank 38 to seat within the slot portion 43. Otherwise, the parts of the holder are identical with those described in connection with the form shown in Fig. 2.

We claim:

1. An eraser holder comprising in combination, fixed nut means for attachment to a pencil, a propelling stem threaded through the nut means and having a head for ejecting contact with an eraser, and a rotatable actuating sleeve coaxial with the stem and held against axial movement by the nut means, the sleeve having a connection with the head adapted to cause the sleeve and head to rotate together and the head to move axially during rotation.

2. An eraser holder comprising in combination, fixed nut means for attachment to a pencil, a propelling stem threaded through the nut means and having a cylindrical head for ejecting contact with an eraser, the lateral surface of the head being serrated, and a rotatable actuating sleeve coaxial with the stem and held against axial movement by the nut means, the sleeve having one or more longitudinal guide ribs en gageable with the serrations on the head for causing the sleeve and head to rotate together and the head to move axially during rotation.

3. An eraser holder comprising in combination, fixed nut means for attachment to a pencil, a stem threaded through the nut means and having a propelling and retracting head provided With means for detachably connecting the head to an eraser, and a rotatable actuating sleeve coaxial with the stem and held against axial movement by the nut means, the sleeve having a connection with the head adapted to cause the sleeve and head to rotate together and the head to move axially during rotation.

4. Adjustable erasing means for pencils com prising in combination, fixed nut means for attachment to a pencil, a headed stem threaded through the nut means, an eraser carried by a cup in coaxial relation to the stem, a shoulder extension on the head projecting through a key slot in the bottom of a cup whereby the head and shoulder respectively efiect an ejection and retraction of the eraser when the head is rotated, and a rotatable actuating sleeve coaxial with the stem and held against axial movement by the nut means, the sleeve having a connection with a head adapted to cause the sleeve and head to rotate together and the head to move axially during rotation.

5. In combination with a pencil having an open end, internally threaded barrel, a nut sleeve screwed tightly in the barrel and having at one end a pair of concentric shoulders, the innermost shoulder limiting movement of the sleeve into the barrel, a propelling stem threaded through the sleeve and having a head for ejecting contact with an eraser, and a rotatable actuating sleeve coaxial with the stem and having one end thereof inwardly flanged to engage the outermost shoulder to restrain the sleeve against axial movement when rotated, the actuating sleeve having a connection with the head adapted to cause the actuating sleeve and head to rotate together and the head to move axially during rotation.

6. An eraser holder comprising fixed nut means for attachment to a pencil, a propelling member threadedly engaged with said nut means and shiftable axially by rotation thereof for propelling an eraser, a rotatable actuating sleeve coaxial with said nut propelling member, means for holding said sleeve against axial displacement while rotating, and means connecting said propelling member to said sleeve for rotation therewith and axial shift movement relative thereto as said sleeve is rotated to thread said propelling member axially through said nut means.

'7. An eraser holder comprising fixed nut means for attachment to a pencil, a propelling member threadedly engaged with said nut means and shiftable coaxially for propelling the eraser, an eraser supporting member connected to said propelling member, a rotatable actuating sleeve coaxial with said propelling member and said eraser supporting member, means for holding said sleeve against axial displacement while rotating, and means connecting said propelling member to said sleeve for rotation therewith and axial shift movement relative thereto as said sleeve is rotated to thread said propelling member axially through said nut means.

8. An eraser holder comprising fixed nut means for attachment to a pencil, a propelling member threadedly engaged with said nut means and shiftable coaxially for propelling the eraser, means for connecting said propelling member to the eraser, a rotatable operating sleeve coaxial with said propelling member and eraser, means for holding said sleeve against axial displacement whilerotating, and means connecting said propelling member to said sleeve for rotation therewith and axial shift movement relative thereto as said sleeve is rotated to thread said propelling member axially through said nut means.

IVAN D. TEFFT. MARLIN S. BAKER. 

